Quick AP renewal question. Am I missing something?

[dieumeye]

Is there any benefit to renewing an AP immediately, instead of waiting to renew on the next visit?

I have a Signature AP expiring on Dec 10. I’m going to renew, but I’m probably not going to visit DL after Dec 10 until around January 5 (and I can’t visit the 2 blocked out weeks anyway).

If I renew now, it seems like my expiration date will be Dec 10, 2020. Instead, I’ll just let it expire and then get a new one when I visit Jan 5, so my expiration date will be Jan 5, 2021.

Back in the old days you wouldn’t necessarily want to do this because there was a discount for renewing, or you could renew at a cheaper price, or you could get grandfathered amenities. But now it doesn’t seem like there’s any benefit to renewing immediately, at least in this case.

Seems kind of strange to me, because unless you are visiting immediately after your pass expires, it would always be better to just let it expire and then renew on your next visit… that way you get a few more days on your next pass. But I just want to be sure I’m not missing something.

Any thoughts?

 

[tsumgirl]

The only benefit I see as a renewing Signature AP would be protecting yourself from a price increase. A lot of people were caught off guard when the prices went up earlier than usual. That said, I would probably hold off if I were in your situation.

I have a Sig AP, as well. I'm planning a trip next year around my renewal date and trying to decide if I'm going to go before my AP expires so I can delay renewal or just go during my usual dates and renew before it expires. I'm kind of waiting to see if they make any changes to the pass, like reducing the number of days or benefits, in which case renewing ASAP would be best if there are grandfathered amenities. Otherwise, I'd probably hold off until my first trip after my AP expires.

 

[pharmama]

I'm in the same boat-my Sig expires a few days after yours. I agree that its mostly guarding against a price increase or changes in pass structure/offerings and I am undecided as of yet on what I will do. I'm also toying with downgrading to a Flex which DD14 already has, though that won't necessarily work for everyone.

There was big AP price increase in early January this year. It remains to be seen what happens in 2020, especially as they try to get a handle on the shifting crowd patterns.

 

[ParkHopper1]

Nope...did that since day one of APs. Let it expire then just re-up next trip.

There would be months gaps for me at times so made zero sense to renew just to renew and pay for it when I was not using it.

Over the span of 5 years I only actual paid for 4 AP's and still went when I wanted. That is a significant chunk of change in savings and none of the price increases made up for paying during down time.

 

[socaldisneylover]

I can assure you with almost 100% certainty, that there is a price increase looming. It has been essentially the entire 2019 year without one, but that is not the only reason. Rise Of The Resistance is opening in 2 months, and I think that it's delay may have something to do with their holding off on raising the AP prices.

If this question had been asked a few months ago, I'd have felt differently, but it would not surprise me to see them do an increase right after the 1st of the year, to coincide with the almost opening of ROTR, not to mention next summer's expected opening of the Spiderman ride at CA Adventure. But if there will be a long period between the expiration and your next visit, it might still be worth waiting, although you'll have to suffer whatever increase they end up going with.

Reading your question again, I see that you plan on buying on January 5, 2020. That's pretty risky IMO, because the increase could happen right around that time. Keep in mind that if the pass you're renewing won't be good during the 2019 Xmas & New Years Weeks, the one you buy on 1/5/20 also won't be good during the 2020 Xmas & New Years weeks. You may want to hedge your bets by purchasing a new one online just before next month's blockout period, which will enable you to get a couple more weeks next December, and it will expire right before the 2020 holiday blockout.

Also, if you let the current AP expire, but then buy a new one online, won't you lock in the price, but it won't start to run until you activate it on the 1st visit in January?

 

[dieumeye]

I can assure you with almost 100% certainty, that there is a price increase looming. It has been essentially the entire 2019 year without one, but that is not the only reason. Rise Of The Resistance is opening in 2 months, and I think that it's delay may have something to do with their holding off on raising the AP prices.

If this question had been asked a few months ago, I'd have felt differently, but it would not surprise me to see them do an increase right after the 1st of the year, to coincide with the almost opening of ROTR, not to mention next summer's expected opening of the Spiderman ride at CA Adventure. But if there will be a long period between the expiration and your next visit, it might still be worth waiting, although you'll have to suffer whatever increase they end up going with.

Reading your question again, I see that you plan on buying on January 5, 2020. That's pretty risky IMO, because the increase could happen right around that time. Keep in mind that if the pass you're renewing won't be good during the 2019 Xmas & New Years Weeks, the one you buy on 1/5/20 also won't be good during the 2020 Xmas & New Years weeks. You may want to hedge your bets by purchasing a new one online just before next month's blockout period, which will enable you to get a couple more weeks next December, and it will expire right before the 2020 holiday blockout.

Also, if you let the current AP expire, but then buy a new one online, won't you lock in the price, but it won't start to run until you activate it on the 1st visit in January?

Yeah. I think I’ll let it expire, and then buy the new AP a couple days later as long as it won’t “activate” until my next visit. Just need to make sure that it won’t automatically renew and reactivate at the current/old expiration date. All this really amounts to is a couple additional weeks on the back end, but hey, every little bit helps, especially if I won’t be visiting much in December as it is.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Yeah. I think I’ll let it expire, and then buy the new AP a couple days later as long as it won’t “activate” until my next visit. Just need to make sure that it won’t automatically renew and reactivate at the current/old expiration date. All this really amounts to is a couple additional weeks on the back end, but hey, every little bit helps, especially if I won’t be visiting much in December as it is.

This should work as long as you don't have any perks grandfathered in, e.g. PP. We've had a few posts from Signature APs who still have PP on their passes from when MP was included. If you're not in that group, your plan should work fine.

 

[dieumeye]

This should work as long as you don't have any perks grandfathered in, e.g. PP. We've had a few posts from Signature APs who still have PP on their passes from when MP was included. If you're not in that group, your plan should work fine.

Nope, no perks. I’ve had an AP since 2005, but took a couple years off 2016-2018. So the one I have now was new at the end of 2018.

I wonder why there is no incentive to renew immediately (other than a possible price increase at any time). Even if it was something like, “renew now and get a $20 dining voucher” I’d probably go ahead and do it instead of waiting. Oh, well. They’ve got my money either way, I guess!!!

Thanks, everyone!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

... I wonder why there is no incentive to renew immediately (other than a possible price increase at any time). Even if it was something like, “renew now and get a $20 dining voucher” I’d probably go ahead and do it instead of waiting. Oh, well. They’ve got my money either way, I guess!!!

Thanks, everyone!

I think the removal of the early renewal discount incentive was a sneaky way to disguise a price hike (no more $__ discount for renewing our AP early = we now pay $__ more than we used to). Sigh. I miss those discounts.

 

[longboard55]

I have had them honor the price increase if you renew to your original expiration day, I am not sure they will do a price increase, they know they went overboard for starwars